Conventionally, there has widely been used a porous honeycomb structure as a filter for trapping and removing particulate matter contained in a dust-containing fluid such as a diesel engine exhaust gas or as a catalyst carrier for carrying a catalyst component for purifying harmful substances in exhaust gas. In addition, it is known that refractory particles such as silicon carbide (SiC) particles are used as a constituent material for such a honeycomb structure.
As a related art, for example, the Patent Document 1 discloses a honeycomb-structured porous silicon carbide catalyst carrier obtained by using a silicon carbide powder having a predetermined specific surface area and a predetermined impurity content amount as a starting raw material, forming the material into a desired shape, drying the material, and firing the material at 1600 to 2200° C.
On the other hand, the Patent Document 2 discloses a method for manufacturing a vitrifiable material-containing refractory characterized by adding a vitrifiable material to an easily oxidizable material or a refractory composition containing an easily oxidizable material; mixing, kneading, and forming them together with a bonding material; and subjecting the formed article to naked firing in a furnace in a non-oxidation atmosphere. The Patent Document 3 discloses a silicon carbide formed article obtained by adding an organic binder, a clay mineral based inorganic binder, a glass based inorganic binder, and a lithium silicate based inorganic binder to a silicon carbide powder, followed by forming the mixture.
In addition, in the Patent Document 1, as a conventional method for manufacturing a porous silicon carbide sintered article, there is introduced a method where a vitreous flux or a bonding material such as clay was added to silicon carbide particles which will become an aggregate, the mixture is formed, and the formed article is sintered at temperature where the bonding material melts.
Further, the Patent Documents 4 and 5 discloses; regarding a ceramic filter for high temperature, where refractory particles made of silica sand, ceramic ground product, a metal oxide such as Al2O3, TiO2, or ZrO2, silicon carbide, nitride, boride, another refractory material, or the like and granulated to have a predetermined particle size are formed into a porous bottomed cylindrical article with a refractory bonding material such as liquid glass, frit, or glaze; suitable refractory particle average diameter, refractory particle size distribution, porosity of the cylindrical article, average pore size of the cylindrical article, pore volume of the cylindrical article, partition wall thickness of the cylindrical article, and the like.
In addition, the Patent Document 6 discloses a honeycomb structure where refractory particles such as silicon carbide are bonded with a vitreous component, the honeycomb structure being sufficiently porous, having a high specific surface area, and being suitably used even under a high SV condition as a filter, a catalyst carrier, or the like for purifying automobile exhaust gas and a production method thereof.
On the other hand, the Patent Document 7 discloses a porous honeycomb structure containing refractory particles, particularly silicon carbide and metal silicon, as an aggregate and a production method thereof.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-6-182228    Patent Document 2: JP-A-61-26550    Patent Document 3: JP-A-8-165171    Patent Document 4: JP-B-61-13845    Patent Document 5: JP-B-61-13846    Patent Document 6: JP-A-2001-199777    Patent Document 7: JP-A-2002-154882